Chapter 48

Actually, it wasn't just Fang Chang who noticed; many players had already noticed as well.

The significance of this update goes far beyond just improving the economic system and integrating contribution points into the honor system.

Its greatest significance lies in emphasizing cooperation between players!

As the number of players increases, this step is actually inevitable.

A good social system not only enhances the gaming experience for players but also increases user stickiness and daily active users.

Although the latter seems somewhat redundant for the technically robust "Wasteland OL."

So far, the players selected by Chu Guang are all hardcore, almost wishing to spend 24 hours a day online, unwilling to log out unless forced to do so.

They are so disciplined that it seems they have no sex life.

Regardless, in the eyes of the vast majority of players, the impact of this update on player cooperation is profound.

Although the official did not update the social system, many settings are already laying the groundwork for teaming up and guild systems.

For example, the most typical one is that players can share land usage rights with friends.

5 square meters of land may not be much, but if four players combine their land, they can build a small apartment of 20 square meters.

What else could this be but the雏形 of a guild?

"Xiao Qi, do you know what the soul of a game is?"

"What is it?"

Standing on the third floor of the nursing home, watching the players busily working inside and outside the forward base, Chu Guang's lips curled into a slight smile.

"It's mathematics."

"Mathematics?"

"Yes, more precisely, it's the design of numbers. This is an art, and excellent numerical design can itself become a gameplay. In comparison, plot, graphics, and settings are the added value that art brings to games."

Baidu isn't completely useless.

Occasionally, it can also search for some nonsense.

Pausing for a moment, Chu Guang continued slowly.

"Through the design of numbers, we can ensure that the majority of players who follow the routine can earn a reasonable amount of contribution points and money in a day."

"For example, under normal circumstances, it takes two to three weeks to upgrade from a resident to a citizen. This time can't be too long, as it would make players lose confidence, nor can it be too short, as easily obtained things are meaningless. Once players become citizens and become our core users, we will immediately set new goals for them, such as buying land."

Xiao Qi tilted the camera.

"Buy land? But the land prices you set don't seem expensive."

"That's right," Chu Guang nodded. "For players who have already obtained citizenship, buying land itself doesn't take long, it's just a matter of taking out their wallets. But after buying the land, they will need to build something on it, right?"

"Building a house requires cement, bricks, and a more solid small villa also needs steel. Building a few houses will increase the production capacity of cement, bricks, and steel. I don't believe these players would be happy to see their little nests in the game look like shacks. Why give them only 5 square meters of land? If I gave them 10 or 20 square meters, our safe zone would soon be filled with useless shacks and garbage."

Xiao Qi: "Ah, this."

For an AI, it seems difficult to empathize with these things.

But Chu Guang didn't care.

Smiling faintly, he continued.

"Once the house is built, you can't live in a bare room, right? Beds, tables, cabinets, carpets, curtains, and even light bulbs when electricity is available, you need to furnish the house. Raw wood, fur, handicrafts... This way, production and consumption will both increase."

Whether it's buying land, building houses, or furnishing, all of these require money, right?

Where does the money come from?

Sorry, this game is still in closed beta and does not support microtransactions. If you want to earn money, you need to do tasks, grind dungeons, or work in the fields.

Through the task system, Chu Guang can easily control the flow of money, indirectly influencing player behavior.

For example, if the shelter is short of food, he can increase the rewards for gathering and hunting tasks. If houses need to be built, he can increase the rewards for bricklaying, plastering, and cement production.

If mutants or raiders attack?

Then it's not about money anymore.

Chu Guang will issue a "Never Retreat" war mobilization as an in-game event, temporarily exempting players from death penalties and providing them with weapons.

Facing a group of fearless disasters.

Even the fearless mutants would be intimidated.

"... When they are done playing, I will open new identity levels for them. After citizenship, there will be intermediate citizenship, and the land they can buy will increase to 25 square meters. By then, the second wall will be built, and there will be no shortage of cement, bricks, wood, and steel. They will likely build a larger house and repeat the process."

"Once they get tired of building houses near their homes, I will give these veteran players a noble title and assign them a slightly farther fiefdom to manage. Weapons, ammunition, food, fuel, building materials... They can produce these, and if they can't, they can import them from the base, giving new players something to do."

"As for the future? We'll see. Damn, I've only unlocked the B1 level of the shelter, and I'm already worrying about their future..."

The number of cultivation tanks in Shelter 404 is still unknown, and he might have to figure out how to make them himself.

He is certain that the powerful first-generation manager completed some "unprecedented" great technology in this shelter.

And will reveal all the truths to him once he uncovers all the secrets.

However, although the future is unpredictable, Chu Guang is still confident about the major update of the Alpha 0.3 version.

He is playing a big game.

In his first phase plan, players who have received nine years of compulsory education are all high-quality labor, and directly jumping to industrialization from an agrarian society is not a problem.

Completing the most basic industrialization provides the foundation for survival in the wasteland.

In the second phase, as the number of players increases, Chu Guang will try to incorporate some of the wasteland's original inhabitants into the forward base to work in basic production roles such as farming, logging, and cement production. If there are special talents among these original inhabitants, he will assign them special roles.

Those players who have upgraded to citizens can be freed from basic physical labor and focus more on creative, combat, and exploration tasks, fully utilizing their advantage of being able to resurrect and try again.

In the third phase, the final phase.

Ideally, the NPC original inhabitants and the player clones should have formed a special symbiotic social relationship.

Complementing each other's strengths and constraining each other.

If everything goes smoothly, players who own property, wealth, equipment, friendships, and even love in the game will treat "Wasteland OL" as their "second life," becoming supporters of order rather than challengers, forming a positive game ecosystem.

Such games actually exist in reality.

Commonly known as "server environments."

Of course, Chu Guang also knows that plans can never keep up with changes, so he has prepared many Plan Bs to deal with sudden situations.

But at least for now, the implementation of the first phase plan is going quite well.

These carefully selected beta players are clearly enticed by the grand vision he has painted, more cooperative than he imagined.

Xiao Qi raised the camera, looking at her owner and gently reminded him.

"Master, do you know, you look like a villain right now."

"Villain? Have you ever seen a villain as kind as me?"

Chu Guang glared at this speechless guy.

"I have liberated them from boring daily routines, giving them 12 extraordinary hours in their lives. All they need to do is sweat a little and dream, and they don't lose anything, not even a penny!"

Damn.

Now that I think about it, it sounds like a loss.

This helmet should be charged!

But after some thought, Chu Guang couldn't figure out what he would use the money for. Online shopping items can't be delivered, and he doesn't need to pay for server electricity or helmet costs.

At least for now, charging would be more trouble than it's worth.

Shaking his head, Chu Guang turned his gaze from the window, turned around, and yawned.

"The wind on the rooftop is a bit strong."

"I'll go back to the shelter, leave this to you."

His most promising "cattle and horse team" had already set out with bows, spears, and provisions, likely to go hunting.

Previously, Chu Guang had been deliberately cultivating a player named Ye Shi, not only teaching him survival skills in the wasteland and how to use "perception" to track prey and detect danger, but also leading him to successfully find the tracks of a deer herd.

If they can't bring back prey, it would be a shame.

Besides, 9mm bullets are running low, so Chu Guang decided to take a day off today.

Xiao Qi moved the camera, obediently accepting the order.

"As you wish, Master."

...

It was noon.

Next to the shelter's resident hall, a hoarse sob emerged from a half-open cultivation tank.

"Wah, wah, wah, sister, I'm finally alive!"

She had been too excited when she woke up, bumping her forehead on the not fully opened tank lid. Ya Ya rubbed her red forehead and sat up from the tank.

Looking at her delicate skin and impressive figure in the mirror opposite, her eyes filled with tears.

Half from pain, half from excitement.

Before logging in, she had been watching the forum for three whole days!

Three days!

Who knows how she managed to get through these three sleepless nights without a helmet.

Wiping away the tears, Ya Ya quickly put on the clothes in the storage compartment at the head of the tank, zipped up, and ran out of the room.

The lights in the resident hall were on.

Chu Guang, who had just returned, was sitting at the computer in the hall, surfing the internet.

Hearing the footsteps from the next room, he casually closed the webpage he was browsing, released the mouse, and looked at the player who walked into the hall.

He saw this little player bow her head and say in a repentant tone.

"Respected Manager, please allow me to apologize for my rash and unwise actions!"

Although the planner told her that apologizing was meaningless, the NPC was too realistic.

Especially when he looked at her, she felt she couldn't forgive herself if she didn't say sorry.

"You don't need to apologize to me; you have betrayed the trust of the organization and those still in hibernation underground."

Chu Guang glanced at her clothes.

If he remembered correctly, each cultivation tank was equipped with only two sets of blue overcoats. If she dies again, she might have to go naked.

Although Teng Teng made some warm fur coats, they are only suitable for wearing outside. Wearing nothing underneath would be a bit inappropriate.

Especially with her special figure...

Chu Guang continued expressionlessly.

"... According to the rules, I should deduct 500 contribution points from you, but unfortunately, you don't have any contribution points to deduct."

Ya Ya bowed her head, ashamed.

"I am truly very sorry, I am willing to accept any punishment!"

"Punishment is to teach you a lesson. To survive in this wasteland, you need not only courage but also intelligence. I hope you will cherish your life and the hard-earned opportunity to go to the surface."

Chu Guang paused and continued.

"I will assign you a task: collect 100 kilograms of food, including but not limited to wild vegetables, berries, and mushrooms. Until the punishment task is completed, your status will be downgraded from 'Resident' to 'Criminal.' This status cannot receive tasks or rewards."

"Remember, your balance is not enough to cover the death penalty. If you die again, I will permanently send you back underground."

"Behave yourself."

Permanent exile means losing the right to play the game.

In the fictional game setting, all players come from the deepest part of the shelter—a cryogenic center with thousands of people in hibernation, serving as the vanguard for returning to the surface.

Hearing the words "permanent exile," Ya Ya's body trembled, and she quickly said.

"Yes! I promise it won't happen again!"

Satisfied with her repentance, Chu Guang nodded slightly.

"Go."

Ya Ya, dejected, was about to head for the door, but at that moment, the manager sitting at the desk suddenly called her back.

"Wait."

Ya Ya stopped and turned around.

"Do you have any other orders?"

"Yes, wait a moment, I have something to show you."

Chu Guang took a metal-packaged can from the drawer, pulled the ring, and opened the lid.

The aroma wafted out.

Chu Guang was surprised.

He didn't expect this old can to not only have no oil separation but also look as fresh as newly produced.

Could it have been just made...

Chu Guang's expression was a bit strange.

Do I need to test it for poison?

I don't think it's necessary.

The newly revived Ya Ya didn't think much about it.

Her stomach was empty, and although she wasn't hungry, the sight of the delicious can made her mouth water.

Looking up at the manager, her face was filled with disbelief and gratitude.

"Is this for me?"

Chu Guang didn't answer, just asked.

"Do you want to eat it?"

Ya Ya nodded quickly.

"Yes."

Chu Guang continued.

"Is there anything wrong with the color? For example, green light?"

Ya Ya shook her head vigorously.

"No!"

When hungry, everything looks delicious. Her attention was completely on the food, and she couldn't help but swallow again.

This manager is too considerate!

Although he just punished her, but but but—

"Okay, I understand."

Chu Guang took the can back.

"I'll just show you, don't think too much."

Ya Ya: "???"

In the end, this little player ran out with tears in her eyes.

Sitting in the chair, eating the can, Chu Guang also felt that he might have been a bit too harsh this time...